Ex-lax for weight loss
Based in Las Vegas, Tracii Hanes is a freelance writer specializing in health and psychology with over seven years of professional experience. Psych Central defines bulimia as any method for purging the body of consumed food. It is available over the counter and is used for temporary relief of constipation. She got her start as a news reporter and has since focused exclusively on freelance writing, contributing to websites like Wellsphere, Education Portal and more. The belief that taking laxatives like Ex-lax will prevent the absorption of fat from food is incorrect and potentially harmful. Either method of elimination puts undue stress on the body, resulting in potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal issues. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication arts from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Using Ex-lax for prolonged periods or in high doses may lead to serious complications. The weight loss results from starvation by preventing the absorption of any nutrients from consumed food. Using Ex-lax for prolonged periods can lead to serious complications. It generally produces a bowel movement within 6 to 12 hours, temporarily relieving constipation and accompanying symptoms like bloating and feelings of fullness. While extreme doses of ex-lax or any laxative may result in weight loss, it is extremely dangerous to do so, according to Psych Central. While they can reduce water retention, laxatives are not useful for weight loss in the absence of constipation.
Roughly 70 percent of bulimics induce vomiting, while the remaining 30 percent use laxatives. A consultation with a doctor, a nutritionist or a psychiatrist specializing in eating disorders needs to be set up as soon as possible. Despite the potential for serious side effects, laxatives like Ex-lax are sometimes abused by people with eating disorders and others seeking to lose weight. Ex-lax works by stimulating peristalsis -- the movements of the intestines that produce bowel movements -- as well as altering water secretion in the bowel. The laxatives themselves do not cause the weight loss as much as they act to starve the body of nutrients and calories artificially. Ex-lax is an over-the-counter laxative used to treat constipation. Use of laxatives for weight loss is classified as bulimia. Ex-lax does not affect the small intestine where nutrient absorption occurs, making it ineffective for preventing fat and calorie assimilation. Psych Central advises that if one wishes to lose extra weight or maintain a safe body weight, it is best to consult a licensed doctor or nutritionist. Anyone who finds herself resorting to excessive calorie restriction or binge-and-purge techniques to lose or maintain weight must understand that this is very dangerous, even life-threatening. Less commonly, laxatives may be used to treat certain bowel disorders or to prepare the bowel for surgery. Ex-lax does not prevent the absorption of fat from food. Prolonged abuse of Ex-lax to lose weight can lead to electrolyte imbalance and cardiac arrest. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, laxative abuse can cause electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, weakness, kidney malfunction, tremors and blurred vision.
